Starting motor



Aug-'2, 1932- J. H. SUTTER 1,870,075

STARTING MOTOR Filed Feb. 23. 1931 INVENTOR. JOSIAH h. Surnzz' A TTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 2, 1932 s ren STATES JOSIAH H. SUTTER, F WIGHITA, KANSASSTARTING 2 MOTOR Application filed February 28,1931. f Serial No,519,111.

This invention relates to starting motors for machinery but it isespecially designed for use in connection with a starting motor forvehicles, in which the pinion on the drive 3 shaft is held in mesh withthe gear on the fly wheel of the motor until such time as the fly wheelstarts to over-run the pinion, whereupon the pinion is released fromengagement with the fly wheel and maintained in released position solong as the motor is operating.

The novel manner in which is accomplished the desired results will beapparent by referring to the following description in connection withthe accompanying drawing in 1d which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a starting motor to which myinvention is applied.

F 2 is a disassociated view of the starter motor shaft, a pinionactuated rod and key,

the pinion, the collar on the key carrying shaft, and the spring forurging the pinion away from the ring gear on the fly wheel of theengine.

Referring now to the drawing by numerals of reference:

1 designates the starting motor, having a hollow drive shaft 2 providedwith a slot 3. Extending through the drive shaft is a rod or shaft tcarrying at one end a spline or key so 5, having an offset portion orshoulder 6 to provide a detent for the pinion 7, to be hereinafterdescribed more in detail.

The pinion 7 is slidably held on the rod or shaft 4, by reason of thefact that the key or 3.) spline loosely fits in the key slot 8 of thepinion. A collar 9 engages the key or spline 5 and is held fast to theshaft ft by a set screw 10, it being understood of course that the slot11 receives the offset portion 6 of the key 5. A coiled expansion spring12 surrounds the projecting end of the shaft 2, one end being againstthe motor body and the other against the pinion, it being understoodthat the ends 13 and 14: of the spring can be received in recesses inthe shaft slot 3 and in the pinion 7.

As heretofore stated, the rod 4 slides in the drive shaft 2 and itisoperated by a yoke 15, one end of which is pivoted to the bracket 16 at17, and the other end 18 of which may be operated in any suitablemanner. When the yoke is moved to the dotted line position shown inFig.1, the rod et'is pulled or longitudinally moved a short distance tocause the pinion 7' to move into mesh with the teeth of the fly wheel19. i This is done before the motor ,1 is started, so liability of thepinion chewing off the ends of the gear teeth on the fly wheel will'beprevented. The longitudinal movement of the rod 1 will cause the pinionto compress the spring 12, because the to end of the pinion will abutagainst the shoulder or detent 6. So long as the motor 1 is turning thefly wheel under load the detent 6 will hold the pinion in mesh with thering gear of the fly wheel, but as soon as the fly wheel exceeds thespeed of the pinion (due to the fact that the motor carrying the flywheel has started to operate) the pinion will be turned so that the slot8 registers with the shoulder or detent 6, and due to the expansive 7force ofthe spring 12 the pinion will be slid longitudinally along therod 4; and along the key so that it will move out of mesh with the flywheel, that outward movement or sliding movement being limited by thecollar 9.

' Of course itis to be'understood that when the starting motor shaftrotates, the pinion controlling shaft 4 also rotates. It is alsoapparentthat the. offset portion of the shoul der or detent 6 willnormally overlap the edge of the slot or groove 8, so that when the yokeis moved to dotted position the pinion will be drawn into mesh with thering gear 19, then when the starting motor starts the fiy wheel will berotated until the engine turns over with its own power, whereupon thepinion is driven by the engine momentarily until the slot 8 registerswith the wider portion of the key, whereupon the expansion spring forcesthe pinion in the full line position shown in Fig. 1, and out of meshwith the fly wheel gear.

Attention is called to the fact that the spring has both an expansiveforce and a torsional force on the pinion. The effect of the torsionalforce will be to hold the pinion initially against the shoulder untilthe wide part of the key alines with the slot, then the expansive forceofthe spring slides the pinion on the key out'of mesh with the gear.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the device is simple inconstruction, positive in its operation, and liability of chewing offthe ends of the gear teeth, either of the pinion or the gear, will bereduced to a minimum, if not wholly eliminated.

What I claim and desire by Letters Patent is 1. A device of the classdescribed com rising a starter motor having a hollow drive shaft, aslidable rod in the hollowdriveshaft; provided with a key rotatable withthe shaft, a sliding pinion provided with a spline slot; receiving thekey and adaptably engaged by the shoulder on the key so that alongitudinal movement of the rod in one direction will impartlongitudinal movement to the pinion, a coil spring exerting torsion onthe pinion to normally hold the pinion against the shoulder, a sidespring having expansive force to move the pinion longitudinally of: therod when the pinion turnson the rod toaline the. shoulder and the slotin the pinion,

2. A device of the class described. comprising a starter motor having ahollow shaft provided with a slot, a slidable key'carried by the shafthaving the key portion extending through the slot and provided with ashoulder, a sliding pinion on the key and. shaft having a slot toreceive thekey,.aispring normally urging the shoulder in' engagementwith the pinion, said spring having the expansibility toimove the pinionalong the shaft when the shoulder is out of engagement with the pinionandmeans for actuating thekey 3. A device of. the class describedcompris ing a starter motor having a slotted drive shaft, a slidingkey.inthe slotted: drive shaft provided with a shoulder, a. pinion slidablymounted on the drive shaft; having a key receiving slot adapted to beoverlapped by the shoulder, the width of' the slot being equal to thewidth ofthe shoulder,.means for. nor-- mally urging, the pinion intoengagement-e with the shoulder,.said pinion beingcapable of havingsliding movement on. the key past. the shoulder when the shoulder andslot in the pinion are in alinement, and means for moving the keylongitudinally of the shaft- 4. A device of the class described,comprising a starter motor, a slotted drive shaft,.asliding key in theslotted drive shaft projecting beyond the perimeter of the? driveshaft,said key having a pinion engaging shoulder, a pinion slidable onthe driveshaft provided with a slot of a width. equal to thecombinedwidths of the key and shoulder, means for limiting the sliding movement.of the pinion in one direction, a coiled spring between the pinionand'the case of the motor engaging'the pinion, and means for sliding;the key against the action of the spring.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature JOSIAH H. SUTTER;

